AP United States Government and Politics

As you head to college in a polarized, partisan environment, civic knowledge and civic engagement are vital. Navigate today's high speed, twitter fueled news cycle, engage with the US Constitution, and understand the role of different political institutions in the United States.

What are the major projects you will complete in this course?

Students explore their own political socialization and their emerging political ideology. Reflecting on their own experiences, they examine trust, tolerance, efficacy, and ideology, and write a Personal Political Profile.

Students also use state level ballot initiatives to explore current hot button issues in US politics, and to understand multiple perspectives on those issues.

Advanced Placement exam is available for this course.

Advanced Placement (AP) exams are available for this course. For more information on Advanced Placement, click here.

Course Details

Erik Torjesen

"You should take this course if you want to understand and engage in current issues and the political news of the day. This course will equip you to be an active citizen."

AP US Government and Politics

ID: 42035 Grade: 11-12 Length: Semester ICredit: Social StudiesPrerequisite: Semester I grade of B or higher in a tenth or eleventh social studies course is required; or current teacher recommendation.Note: This course has a grade point weighting of 0.5.

This college level course is designed to give students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. The course includes both the study of general concepts used to interpret US politics and the analysis of specific examples. The following are the basic concepts to be covered: constitutional underpinnings of US government; political beliefs and behaviors; political parties, interest groups, and the mass media; institutions of national government; and the formation of public policy. Students will be prepared for and strongly encouraged to sit for the AP exam in May.

What Our Students Say

My favorite thing about this course at SAS is how current events are consistently woven into the curriculum. This course will challenge you to look past common misconceptions about politics and will provide you with deeper insight on the institutions that govern the United States. How does the Supreme Court rationalize its decisions? How much power does the President actually have? Why is campaign finance even a controversial issue? These are all examples of questions addressed in the course. Above all, this class will provide you with the ability to make informed judgements and form more accurate interpretations of current events and politics.”